Energy, Environment and Climate Change
Johnny ChanGuy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre
School of Energy and Environment
City University of Hong Kong
1
Why do we want to reduce carbon?
Global warming
Air Pollution
Energy security
2
Outline
Science of climate change
Energy demand and supply
How can carbon be reduced?
How do we estimate the effect of
carbon?
Summary
3
Temporal variations in global temperature
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Temporal variations in CO2, CH4, N2O
CO2 CH4
N2O
5
Components that cause heating/cooling of the atmosphere
heatingcooling
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Temporal variations in global temperature
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Temporal variations in global temperature
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Temporal variations in global temperature
唐
元
明
宋
清
南北朝晉漢
三國
五代
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Temporal variations in global temperature
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Temporal variations in global temperature
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Temporal variations in global temperature
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Temporal variations in global temperature and CO2
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Milankovich cycles – variations of the orbital parameters
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Milankovich cycles and glaciation
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Urban Area
Hong Kong
Shenzhen
Guangzhou
Farmland in Guangdong
vs. Farmland
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Urban or
Built-up (km2) :
Year : 1980
2230
Urban or Built-up Area in the Pearl River Delta
1980
1990
3950
1990
2000
6570
2000
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HK temperature
HK solar radiation
No. of haze
days in
Guangzhou
Climate Change
in the PRD
(related to
radiation)
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Climate Change
and Urbanization
in the PRD
(related to water)
PRD relative humidity
PRD rainfall
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World energy demand
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World energy supply
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Stabilisation wedges
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Abatement cost curve
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Temperature projection for the 21st century
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Temperature projection for the 21st century
B1
A1B
A2
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Precipitation projection for the 21st century
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Statistical downscaling
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Statistical downscaling
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Statistical downscaling – Hong Kong temperature
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Statistical downscaling – Hong Kong Rainfall
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Global Scale, ~ 200 km
Dynamical downscaling
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Continental Scale~ 50 km
Dynamical downscaling
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Dynamical downscaling
Regional Scale~ 5-20 km
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Dynamical downscaling
Local Scale~ 1-3 km
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local climate change
projections
greenhouse
forcing
vegetation
loss
urbanization
Forcings
Global Scale, ~ 200 km
Continental Scale, ~ 50 km
Regional Scale, ~5-20 km
Local Scale, ~ 1-3 km
Dynamical downscaling
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Summary
Global temperatures have been on the rise during
the last 100 years or so, at a rate which is faster
than the natural cycle and therefore suggests
that non-natural (i.e. anthropogenic)
contributions are significant.
Anthropogenic contributions are mainly in the
form of a significant increase in greenhouse
gases.
Emission of aerosols in urbanized areas will
modify the local climate.
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Summary
Because energy demand will continue to rise
while fossil supplies decrease, the only way to
ensure energy security as well as to mitigate the
direct and indirect effects of global warming is
to use alternate energy sources.
Estimations of the effects of climate change at a
specific location with different carbon reduction
levels requires the use of statistical or numerical
downscaling methods.